Tilting Axis
by Chiri-tan
Summary: "What are you saying, Kuroko?" There was a familiar smile on his face, but his eyes were foreign. There was no warmth, or determination to have fun in the court. What was left was... "Winning is everything, right?" Those eyes were widened with madness, almost like how Akashi-kun's eyes were on that cold evening. Kuroko wanted to cry once more. OgiKuro; AkaKuro
1. Chapter 1

**Tilting Axis.**

**Hey guys! I have a conspiracy theory I want to share with everyone!**

_**What if the main antagonist is not Emperor Akashi? What if the main antagonist and mastermind of everything is the real Akashi?**_

**With that theory in mind, let's continue to read this story!**

* * *

Akashi's face was that of panic, something that Kagami thought was highly unusual.

Who won't be, though? It was the third quarter and Seirin was destroying Rakuzan. It sounded like a dream come true for the new stars, and an unbelievable for the Emperor of the Creation. It started with a simple Kagami's overpowering jumps, to Kuroko's phantom shot, and then on and on to Hyuuga's threes and Kiyoshi's PG-C play style. Rakuzan, who had subconsciously underestimated Seirin, was taken with a surprise.

Akashi's Emperor Eye was able to locate Kuroko, but the tealhead was stealing balls under Kagami's light. Every time Akashi was about to steal from Kuroko, Kagami would screen him and the moment Akashi avoided Kagami, Kuroko was already gone.

Playing without a strong Power Forward had made Rakuzan's fundamentals fell to Seirin's five-men team play.

Akashi was panicking.

All for a good reason.

_"PRIIIIIIII! Third Quarter is over!"_

Both Kagami and Kuroko watched as Akashi stood still in the court, his eyes flittering from the scoreboard, to Kagami, and then to Kuroko. He was losing, Kagami knew. And judging from Kuroko's story last night, Akashi wouldn't take that at all.

When the others were already off the court, Kuroko was unmoving from his previous spot. Still panting and sweating, but his eyes never left Akashi's figure. Kagami stood next to him, his eyes never leaving Kuroko.

Suddenly, there was a laughter.

It was a clearly amused one. It wasn't a maniacal laugh, it wasn't a loud laugh. But the laughter was there. And it was coming from the very person other than them on court. It was just an amused laughter- a chuckle, even. But Kuroko stiffened up and froze on his place.

Akashi was laughing as he covered his Emperor Eye with his hand, still laughing. "It's been long since I laughed like that." He said as he took a deep breath and dropped his hand, revealing a pair of bright ruby eyes.

His Emperor Eye was... _gone_.

"A..." Kuroko began, his voice low and unsure. "Akashi-kun...?"

Akashi gave a sidelong smile to Kuroko, who then leaned slightly to Kagami. "I guess I should say that it's been a long time, right, Kuroko?" His manner of speaking was really different than the other Akashi. He used 'ore' and he was more loosen up. But that confident smirk was never wiped off his face. There was fondness in his eyes as he greeted Kuroko, though. Maybe this Akashi won't just cut him with a scissor.

"It has, Akashi-kun." Kuroko's voice was slightly less guarded than when he was speaking to the other Akashi. Kuroko trusted this guy, after all.

With Kuroko, he was obviously relieved to see his former captain and teacher smiling a very familiar smile once again to him. It was almost like they were back in their Teikou days before everything went downhill. From the days Akashi-kun told him to shape up and take care of himself. It was comforting, it was warming, it was... a huge relief.

Those familiar ruby eyes looked up to another pair of red eyes with a curious glance. "Kagami Taiga, yes? You remind me of Aomine." He said with a thoughtful look. "He is your new light, isn't he?" Akashi-kun asked him, his eyes showing nothing but approval. He knew what his former captain must be thinking. Kuroko- that naive Kuroko had moved on and got a new light even without Akashi-kun's assistance, the one who always needed to hold his hand as he walked. "Yes he is, Akashi-kun." He nodded.

But contrary to what he was thinking, Akashi-kun's face turned into a displeased one. "I was so close into making you bloom, Kuroko. Join me again and I will definitely make you bloom, just like how I did others."

All of the sudden, the temperature of the court dropped a few degrees as all the warmth and familiarity Akashi-kun displayed had been retracted.

"I-I..." Kuroko looked up to Kagami-kun, who then rolled his eyes, as unconcerned as ever as he put his huge hand on top of Kuroko's head. "He won't be joining you, he has us now. Our senpais worked us _hard _to make us _bloom_." Kuroko threw a lingering glance towards their Senpai, who were drinking their waters. "That's exactly why I hate it, _Kagami_." Akashi stepped closer towards them, emanating a bizarre bloodlust that was not unlike the other Akashi.

"I was the one who discovered Kuroko. I_ cultivated _him into a lovely flower bud, ready to bloom..." He threw a lingering look of affection towards Kuroko, who was frozen on his spot. "And yet I wasn't the one who saw him bloom. Not the first, it was displeasing. Do you know that I plan to teach you phantom shot the moment we get into the same team? I was about to take you and only you to high school and we can start the ultimate team and defeat the others. Honoring our oath..."

Kuroko was silent, his sweat dripping down from his face, mixing with cold sweat from his temple. "But... my _other _self's decision was different. He didn't think of you as a part of Generation of Miracles, but I do, Kuroko. That's why... join me. We can defeat the others easily. Crushing them like how-"

"Like how you crushed my best friend...?"

His voice was low, dangerously low. What Akashi-kun had done to Ogiwara-kun in that 111-11 game... was brutal. Even if it was the other Akashi-kun's decision... Kuroko couldn't quite place just how much it hurt to see the normally cheerful face of Ogiwara-kun's turned into such a despaired expression...

Kagami-kun snapped his head to Kuroko's direction, no doubt noticing that his voice was lower than usual. But Kuroko stared straight towards Akashi-kun, who tilted his head in slight confusion. "Your best...? Ah! Are you talking about Ogiwara Shigehiro?" Hearing his best friend's name mentioned, Kuroko stiffened up. But Akashi-kun chuckled.

"You do know that he is a tardy kind of person, right?" Akashi-kun sighed. "That airhead managed to took a nap in the gym and then missed the last train to Tokyo. And then he missed the first train because he actually went to Maji Burgers first. But he made it to the noon train and got lost in trying to find his way here..." Akashi-kun's eyes peered straight through Kuroko and onto the Rakuzan bench.

"Shige-chan!"

"Shige!"

"Reo-nee! Lift me up a bit so I can smack Shige up on his head!"

"There's no need for that. YOU STUPID MORON HOW COULD YOU MISS OUT ON THE TRAINS DUMBASS?!"

"Whoa, whoa...!"

_"You're late, Ogiwara-kun." Kuroko pouted as he dribbled the orange basketball by himself. The other boy then put down his black elementary school bag with an apologetic grin across his face. "Whoa, whoa...!"_

"Don't be mad, Nebuya-senpai! I'm here now, aren't I? Ogiwara Shigehiro, at your service!"

_"Don't be mad, Kuroko!" He said as he ruffled the tealhead. "I'm here now, aren't I?" A kiss on his forehead, a sign of apology. "Ogiwara Shigehiro, at your service!" A huge grin plastered across his face..._

"O-Ogi-"

"That's right." Akashi-kun smirked, as if he had been waiting to let this on to Kuroko for a long time.

_"Ogiwara Shigehiro is Rakuzan's Power Forward."_

* * *

First part of the two-shots! Look forward for the final part, okay? ;D


	2. Chapter 2

**Tilting Axis.**

When he caught a glimpse of the utterly nostalgic teal-colored tresses, Ogiwara wasted no time to walk to the court with a huge smile across his face. This was him, this was _Kuroko_. After all those years, he had finally faced his most precious best friend...

He walked passed Kagami Taiga, Kuroko's new light and partner, he knew. His gaze was that of gratitude, after all, it was rather unbelievable that Kuroko, the sweet naive Kuroko, would be able to find a new light to shadow upon by his own will. He used to be such a darling that either Sei-chan (and maybe Akashi as well), or him, or Aomine had to pull him along with everything. Or maybe... did Kagami Taiga pull him along his pace as well?

Who cared anyways? Ogiwara grinned.

"Kuuuuuu~ rooooo~ kooooo~!" He threw his arms around his best friend's neck, circling it as he put his chin on top of Kuroko's head. He used to be smaller than this, though. Kagami looked unfazed with their greetings, maybe hugging was an American thing so it was easier for him not to feel intimidated by their chumminess. How inconvenient. Ogiwara then let go of Kuroko and kissed him on his forehead.

And _that _got Kagami to tense a little, a confused expression rose on his face. Ogiwara smiled.

"Ogiwara-kun... how- why...?" Kuroko was adorable. Hopelessly so. He was flustering and stuttering at his appearance on the court. Silly Kuroko, he must have thought that it was his fault that Ogiwara stopped playing basketball after the 111-11 incident. Ogiwara was about to grin an honest answer about how it wasn't Kuroko's fault, but a glint from Sei-chan's eyes stopped him.

He still put on a grin and ruffled Kuroko's hair. He was smiling wide, for Kuroko. Always for Kuroko. "I'll tell you sometimes, okay?" A peck on his temple, a sign of genuine promise. Ogiwara then went to Sei-chan with an apologetic grin.

"I really don't know what I should say to you to make you actually come on time, Shigehiro." Yep, this was Sei-chan alright. Nobody else called him Shigehiro, after all. "Sorry, Sei-chan." He dismissed him easily. Dealing with Sei-chan was thousands of times easier than dealing with Akashi. As long as you showed that you knew how absolute he was and you will never defy him and he would be a great companion while with Akashi you had to clearly show him your servitude.

He remembered all the days he spent hiding in a broom closet just to avoid Akashi's recruitment goons. Apparently even when Ogiwara was a loser in their previous game, he was still the best Power Forward Rakuzan could offer his powerhouse. To say that Ogiwara was frightened wouldn't be an understatement, he really was afraid that Akashi would force him to relive his worst moment.

But one day, the one who pulled him out of the broom closet after the sunset was a really easygoing version of Steel President of Rakuzan. He had a very confident smirk across his face as opposed to the president's usual creepy stare. Ogiwara remembered being treated to a hot chocolate and being asked to just talk about himself.

At first, Ogiwara was wary and clearly distrustful. But after all the nights they spent talking in Maji Burgers, Ogiwara relented.

He started to believe. He started to understand. That winning was everything, that whenever the end whistle blew, losers have no place in this world.

And he was a loser. A loser. He... didn't have any place in this world. He remembered being almost suicidal about it when Akashi came to his dorm room with that sidelong smile of his and brought him out for another dinner in Maji Burgers.

"Losers have no place in this world, Shigehiro," he remembered Sei-chan saying something along that lines. "But I'm willing to give you one. Come with me, Shigehiro. Bear with my other self for a bit, okay? The day I resume control is coming soon."

"But Akashi-"

"Don't call me that. That's how you call him, right? Call me something else."

"Seijuurou-kun... damn! I bit my tongue! That's too long!"

"Call me whatever you want."

"Sei-chan... then?"

He nodded. "That's okay."

Ogiwara took a deep breath as he examined the white tumbler consisting of a very much nostalgic drink. He wanted a place, he _needed _a place. And the person he wanted to be there the most would be...

_"Thank you for introducing me to basketball, Ogiwara-kun." The tealhead whispered with a small- barely noticeable smile across his face as they both sucked on their Chu Chu Popsicles. Ogiwara smiled and grinned. "Ne, Kuroko, face here?" He asked. Kuroko faced his best friend and Ogiwara kissed him on his lips._

_"You're welcome, Kuroko. And I think I love you so that would be my reward, okay?" _

"We'll get Kuroko." Sei-chan smirked. "We'll get him back. He'll be with us, and he'll be the one to mark the place where you belong." Sei-chan was nice, and Sei-chan understood.

And frankly, Ogiwara never saw any reason to distrust him. The one who had crushed him into the oblivion was Akashi, not Sei-chan. And Ogiwara had no doubt. Sei-chan didn't even persuade him, he never told him to think that he was absolute...

But Ogiwara did. Sei-chan was absolute, there was no doubt about that.

* * *

It was odd to see at the least.

Ogiwara-kun was grinning as he tried to placate the not really angry Akashi-kun. They both seemed like they knew each other for a long time. Ogiwara-kun called Akashi-kun 'Sei-chan' while the redhead called him 'Shigehiro'. But Kuroko didn't care. Two of his most important people were returned to how they once were. With this, returning to that happy days seemed so viable now.

"We're finally going to fulfill our promise today, aren't we?" Kuroko breathed out. And Kagami-kun was the first one who threw his hand and ruffle his hair. "That's obvious, isn't it? We're not going to lose!" Kagami-kun was all fired up, and exactly when he spoke these words, Ogiwara-kun and Akashi-kun both turned to face them.

"I'm sure that winning or losing doesn't have anything to do with it, Kagami-kun." He smiled. "We... we just want to meet on the court, right, Ogiwara-kun?"

The raven-haired teenager looked at Kuroko with a confused stare, but then he grinned as he made his way to his most precious childhood friend. "Ogiwara-kun...?" Ogiwara hugged him and ruffled his hair as he laughed. "That's reaaaaally cute, Kuroko! But I'm not going to lose! I _can't _lose, you see?" His face looked happy, but his words scared Kuroko so very much.

_"Ah, I lost again..." Kuroko sounded dejected, but Ogiwara-kun hugged him and bumped their foreheads together. "It's not about-"_

"-winning or losing, right? It's about the efforts and fun we have when we play the game...?" Kuroko asked, silently hoping for an approval, silently hoping to still have the very Ogiwara-kun who taught him the true essence of victory...

Ogiwara let go of his best friend, but still kept his arms around Kuroko's neck. "What are you saying, Kuroko?" There was a familiar smile on his face, but his eyes were foreign. There was no warmth, or determination to have fun in the court. What was left was... "Winning is everything, right?" Those eyes were widened with madness, almost like how Akashi-kun's eyes were on that cold evening. Kuroko wanted to cry once more.

"Oi!" Kagami-kun tried to pry Ogiwara-kun off of him, but the Rakuzan Power Forward refused to budge and put his head on the crook of Kuroko's pale neck. "Winners made history while losers are wiped from it. That's why, Kuroko..." Ogiwara-kun kissed him, making him shiver. "When you lose, I'll be the one to rewrite your history, okay? Just like how Sei-chan rewrote mine! Because even when you became a loser, I will still love you!" His face showed no malice. He genuinely believed everything he was spouting. Kuroko turned his gaze towards Akashi-kun, who was smiling in approval.

"Did you do this to him, Akashi-kun...?" Kuroko asked, ignoring Ogiwara-kun's confused questions. "I made him bloom, Kuroko. That's just it." He smiled a fond smile towards Kuroko, but his gaze was that of pride. It wasn't warm, and yet... it was _colder _than the other Akashi-kun...

Ogiwara-kun kissed his lips once more before going over to Akashi-kun. "When you lose, come to me, okay? I'll comfort you like how I always did before!" They both went over to the Rakuzan bench to talk about their strategy.

Kuroko felt the world started to spin, and he was beginning to lose his balance. He was tired and he felt like his world had turned upside down. Ogiwara-kun... the one who had taught him basketball, the one who shaped his beliefs towards victory... was contradicting everything he stood for.

Kagami-kun was there when Kuroko was about to fall to the side. "We'll prove him wrong, Kuroko. We'll show him." Kagami-kun tried to convince him.

"Yes, Kagami-kun..." Kuroko nodded. "Yes we will."

* * *

_This is what I envisioned for Tilting Axis. But if you guys want to see the continuation of this, I'll write it..._


End file.
